LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Published
4:00 am PST, Monday, March 9, 1998

BAY AREA IS BEING WIPED OUT BY GROWTH

Editor -- It has been very frustrating experiencing the population explosion in the Bay Area and the increased traffic caused by it. But, hel-lo? Why is this happening? We observe, we complain and we write about it. Do we do anything about it?

The combination of greedy developers and extremely poor planning has left us surrounded by the ugliest of diseases -- suburbia and everything that comes with it. Not only has traveling from Point A to Point B become a nightmare, but we seem to be experiencing an increase of rude, self-involved people. This is not the Bay Area we know and cherish.

So what can be done to stop this unchecked growth before every square inch is developed? How about a moratorium on growth? How about more businesses concentrated in the new developments and keep people off the roads and closer to home? How about more work-at-home plans?

Yes, people require a place to work and live, but at a cost that is truly affecting the quality of living in the Bay Area?

S. E. HARMAN

Berkeley

DEVELOPER-FRIENDLY BILL

Editor -- Kudos to Senator Dianne Feinstein who stood up to developers pushing new legislation in Congress that would drastically undermine local land-use control. The bill, HR 1534, was considered in the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 26. HR 1534 would open the doors of the federal courts to numerous new "takings" claims, wherein developers or private landowners seek to be compensated for not polluting or not building on land protected in accordance with environmental protection laws. Although the bill was approved, Senator Feinstein spoke eloquently in opposition.

HR 1534 declares a developer's taking claim ripe, or timely, for review in federal court once the developer has been denied a single permit application and simply filed an appeal. The costs of defending such litigation could compel cities and counties to concede to development interests.

HR 1534 is fundamentally flawed. Senator Feinstein deserves our thanks for pledging to filibuster this bill to prevent any part of it from coming to a vote on the Senate floor.

OUTRAGEOUS SEARCHES

According to your report, because she was a 51-year-old single woman, traveling alone from Singapore, she fit a government profile which allowed Customs to pat-search, strip-search and force laxatives down her throat, all over a period of some 20 hours.

I suggest that this outrageous conduct would not be tolerated in any other civilized nation on Earth. It is surely too high a price to pay for the war on drugs, even if that preposterous folly hadn't already been exposed as an abject failure.

As a trial and appellate judge for 20 years, I observed a lot of government abuse, but this is a new low. It was pitiable to read of the U.S. attorney's defense of the tactics employed, but may God bless Ms. Buritica and her lawyer, Mr. Fox, for having had the courage to fight back, and the civil jury for its verdict vindicating this outstanding woman.

ORGANIC GUIDELINES

Editor -- According to the magazine "Organic Gardening," the USDA is considering new guidelines for organic food labeling that would allow foods labeled "organic" to be genetically engineered, irradiated and fertilized with sewage sludge.

The period for public comment is coming to a close (March 17). If you are concerned about being able to eat truly organic, wholesome food, please write a letter to the USDA (FAX to 202-690-4632) and just say no.

Organic food sales are growing at a tremendous rate, and large agribusinesses want a piece of that pie using methods that would result in serious consequences to our health. Wouldn't it be nice, if just this once, the politicians in Washington would do something to protect us, rather than stumbling over each other in an effort to pay back their large agribusiness contributors?

JUDICIAL QUALIFICATIONS

Editor -- Columnist Ken Garcia's claim (Chronicle, March 5) that only white, primarily male Republicans are qualified to sit as judges in San Francisco is, simply put, bizarre. Under Garcia's reasoning, Governor Wilson has failed to appoint a single gay or lesbian judge because all the potential candidates were simply "unqualified." Garcia also believes that Governor Wilson has appointed virtually all Republicans to the San Francisco bench because Democrats, who make up 70 percent of the city's electorate, aren't good enough.

A judge's choice of party affiliation obviously is a reflection of personal values. Does anyone, other than Garcia, believe that Republican gubernatorial hope ful Dan Lungren would make the same judicial appointments as his Democratic opponent?

Judge Ryan has remained a registered Republican despite his party's successful unseating of three Democratic Supreme Court justices in 1986. He has stayed with his party as it has adopted extreme anti-gay, anti-immigrant, anti-women planks. Judge Ryan should explain why he supports a political agenda hostile to the interests of most San Franciscans, rather than continuing to attack his opponent, Steven Collier, for raising this issue.

RANDY SHAW

Editor -- As a Vietnamese immigrant and an environmental activist at UC Berkeley, I was struck by the narrowness and short-sighted nature of the small group of Sierra Club members who are pushing to restrict immigration in order to curb environmental problems associated with population pressure.

This is yet another impulsive "solution" that will only create more problems. Rather than placing the blame for our environmental problems on immigrants, we should be focusing our efforts on transnational corporations who degrade the environment here and abroad.

Sierra Club members, please vote against the short-sighted anti-immigrant Measure A this spring and support Measure B, which will focus our efforts on the real causes of our environmental problems, not on scapegoating immigrants.

PEGGY NGUYEN

Berkeley

NURSES VS. 'LEADERS'

Editor -- I was dismayed and amused at the March 3 letter from Patricia McFarland of the "Association of California Nurse Leaders." These self-declared leaders are actually nurses who haven't seen the whites of a patient's eye for years. Their organization receives funding from, and is housed within, the hospital union/trade organization headquartered in Sacramento -- the California Healthcare Association. Both groups have lobbied against safe registered nurse-to- patient ratios, and multiple regulatory efforts, to better protect patients.

My advice to the "leaders" is to get out of the coffers of your patrons, the health-care corporations, and back into the profession. Until then, those of us who look patients in the eye everyday will carry the banner of alerting the public.

KIT COSTELLO, RN

President, California Nurses Association Sacramento

PRESIDENTIAL FOOD

Editor -- Of our last eight presidents at least half are associated with a particular food -- Jimmy Carter with peanuts; Ronald Reagan with jelly beans; George Bush with broccoli; and Bill Clinton with burgers. I also recall that Franklin Roosevelt was very fond of caviar. I was wondering whether you or your readers know of any other presidents who were associated with a particular food.